


Ghost Prom

by cosmicoyote



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Alex's first prom, Fluff, M/M, Peterpatter, Prom Night, anxious alex, mentions of death bc ghosts, ruke - Freeform, willex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:21:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29013492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmicoyote/pseuds/cosmicoyote
Summary: Alex confesses to Willie that he never went to a school dance while he was alive, so Willie decides his boyfriend needs a prom experience. With the help of some ghost friends, they transform the Los Feliz gymnasium into the first ever prom fit for the afterlife.
Relationships: Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Luke Patterson/Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 91





	Ghost Prom

"Wait, you never went to a school dance?!" Willie exclaimed, staring with wide eyes at his boyfriend. "Not even a Halloween dance?"

Alex, who felt about two inches tall, hunched his shoulders and grimaced. "I… no." He sighed and leaned back in the lawn chair he had found and brought over so that they could relax. Sure, any lifers passing by would see two empty chairs, but Alex liked the aesthetic of watching the sun set over the ocean. 

Too bad Willie had to bring up school dances of all things and ruin the moment. 

When the skater continued to look aghast, Alex hurriedly defended himself.

"I wanted the dance experience, like, with a… date, and I couldn't. My school… well, people in general weren't very accepting of-"

"The gays?" Willie supplied with a faint smirk. "The nineties must've sucked, man."

Alex nodded and gripped his elbows. "You could say that. I was only out to the band… and my parents, but that was a mistake."

" _They_ made the mistake, not you." Willie's tone was gentle but firm.

The drummer smiled a little as Willie put his hand in his. 

"Anway," Willie went on, standing and pulling his anxious boyfriend to his feet. "You deserve to have an actual dance - no the most important dance a teen should ever experience - prom!"

"B-But-" Alex stammered. "Willie, we're dead! We can't just put on suits and have a dance and-" He sighed and closed his eyes, trying not to let his anxiety get a hold of him. "It just can't happen. I missed my chance when I was alive." 

Willie tried to reassure him, but he couldn't find the right words. Alex was clearly upset he didn't get to go to prom when he had the chance, but he wouldn't have been able to if he had had the courage anyway. He couldn't have gone with a date in any case.

"I gotta go," Alex said softly. "See ya."

"Okay," Willie mumbled in defeat. "Get home safe."

After Alex poofed away, Willie frowned down the beach at some distant lights. He poofed over and watched as a wedding party danced and celebrated the newlyweds. 

Two young men took center stage as they danced like dorks while their friends and family cheered them on. They looked very happy, and it was sweet.

Willie sighed, thinking of Alex and how out of place he felt because of his sexuality. Twenty-five years was a long time, but it also really wasn't. A lot had changed that was for sure.

Maybe now Alex could feel confident going to a prom with his boyfriend and not fear being judged or made fun of. Willie just needed to think of a way to make it work… needed to figure out how he could pull something like that off.

Then Willie sat up, a brought grin splitting his face. He had an idea, and he knew just who he needed to go to in order to make that idea become a reality. 

~☆~☆~☆~

"That's a rad idea!" Luke exclaimed in that 90s way of his. "I think Alex would totally be into having a ghost prom!"

"Well, I feel like he won't be into it unless it's a concrete plan," Willie said bracingly while keeping his voice low. 

Luke, Willie, and Reggie were on the beach where they had met the skater several months before. Alex was back at the garage with Julie preparing for their next gig without having any idea about what they were cooking up.

"How do you plan on hosting a prom?" Reggie asked, looking excited but a little doubtful, too. "It's not like we can rent a venue."

"No, but we're ghosts. We can sneak around anywhere," Willie reminded him. "Julie goes to Los Feliz High School down the street from her house, right?"

When the other two nodded the affirmative, Willie smiled. "Ghosts don't have a bedtime. We can sneak stuff in by poofing. It'll be insane!"

Luke was smiling broadly. "Dude, yeah! And we could totally be the live band!"

Reggie grinned at him. "I'm in!"

"Awesome!" Willie's heart soared at the idea of getting to laugh, dance, and enjoy a prom like any other teenager.

"Uh, question," Luke said suddenly as he frowned. "How can we have an actual prom? We don't know that many ghosts that could help with the equipment and have an actual dance."

Willie smirked a little. "I know a few."

~☆~☆~☆~

"I never even knew this was over here!" Reggie said incredulously as he followed Luke and Willie towards a half-finished apartment complex. 

The building itself looked good enough apart from the gaping holes in it left from not being completely sealed up. The complex had been scheduled to be completed the summer before, but there had been issues with contractors and the designs which led to the project being delayed and sealed off. The signs had all of the "coming soon" advertisements crossed out with spray paint. Someone had drawn a little ghost cartoon over the sign as well.

"It's not occupied by lifers, so some local ghosts shifted over here," Willie explained. "It's not uncommon for ghosts to change location. The group here has been settled since the construction was put on hold."

"So… these ghosts aren't gonna try and trap us like Caleb and his goons?" Luke asked nervously.

Willie grimaced, guilt eating at him despite having done his best to help the boys cross over. He never should've brought them to The Hollywood Ghost Club and put them in danger, but the past was past. All three bandmates had forgiven him, but his stomach still hurt whenever it was brought up. Julie had given him a hard time at first, not trusting him after endangering her family, but they were in a better place now. She thought Willie and Alex were the cutest couple in the world, which was super sweet.

"Nah, nothing like that," Willie assured him. "I've actually been hanging around these guys since I left Caleb and his club behind. They're good people - mostly teenage ghosts who look after one another."

They approached the gated off complex then paused when they spotted a figure lounging in a hammock tied between two piles of scaffolding.

Willie recognized the occupant and thought it better to alert them of their presence before there was a misunderstanding. 

"Yo, Macky!" Willie called as they drew nearer.

The hammock shifted as the person laying in it sat up and looked around. 

A girl who had died when she was only sixteen shook her short hair out of her eyes and blinked sleepily at the trio. A moment later, she poofed right in front of them.

Reggie and Luke stepped back nervously, the pair probably wary after hanging around the ghosts that had worked for Caleb. Willie couldn't blame them. It wasn't as if they were in any undead social groups.

Macky was dressed in a sky blue tank top which was only partially covered by an overly large black sweater that hung off of her shoulders. Their jeans were torn up as if a grizzly bear had gouged a row of rips with its claws, and their Converse looked brand new despite her habit of walking the streets of the strip.

Her short hair was brown with red highlights, short, and constantly in her eyes, but that was just her look. Their light blue eyes were piercing even when she was smiling, and a few freckles sprinkled across their nose and cheeks gave them a falsely innocent appearance. 

"Hey, Willie," she greeted him with a faint frown as she crossed her arms and looked both Reggie and Luke up and down as if they were two questionable yard decorations he had picked up at a thrift store. "Pick up some strays?"

Luke looked offended while Reggie seemed a little gobsmacked. The latter appeared unsure what to say while Luke found his words. "We aren't strays!"

Willie chuckled and moved between them before any fights could start. Macky was a lot like Luke in the sense they were fiercely loyal and protective of their loved ones. If she thought that these two strangers were a threat to her and the rest of the ghosts residing here, there would be trouble. 

"Macky, this is Luke and Reggie. They're friends of Alex's."

Macky's expression cleared. "Oh! You're the other phantoms that make up the band!" They smiled, showing a nice set of teeth that made them look only a little less intimidating. 

"Guys, this is Macky. They're kinda... the leader for lack of a better word." Willie smiled a little when Macky just shook her head. She was more like a weird mom to everyone by tending to their needs and keeping an eye out for trouble. They all took care of another like a formed family. "She also knows the area well, and I happen to know they have broken into a few lifer establishments to have some fun."

Macky winked before holding out her hand to the two strangers.

Luke relaxed and took their hand which Macky shook then turned to Reggie. The bassist cleared his throat before he stood stalk still, nervous energy settling over him. 

When Reggie didn't take their hand, Macky softened her expression and teased, "I won't bite ya, Flannel."

Macky had a habit of calling people by an obvious piece of clothing they either liked or hated. Alex had been "Fanny Pack" for a few days before dropping it. They were being nice which was a relief to Willie.

Reggie gulped and eventually took her hand. Macky shook it and then stepped back. "Don't worry. I go into a bi panic when I see a pretty girl, too."

Her teasing helped Reggie snap out of it, and he chuckled.

Luke rolled his eyes, seemingly irritated by his friend's behavior. " _Anyway_ , Willie says you can help us out."

"The prom idea you brought up earlier?" Macky prompted him.

Willie nodded. "I have an idea for it now, but we need the numbers to set up some equipment, and I know a lot of the ghosts in your group are teens that never got to go to prom so…" he shrugged. "We can sneak into a high school we know about late at night and use their gym."

Macky's smile was mischievous. "Breaking and entering into a lifer school to party? Count me in!" She tapped her fingers against her sleeve slowly. "I know most of my group is gonna want to be involved, so they can pitch in, too."

"Yes!" Luke grinned. "This is gonna be so insane!"

"I need to make arrangements for the sound stuff and decorations," Macky said thoughtfully. "And maybe we can get a hold of some formal wear for everyone."

"Leave the sound to us," Reggie said brightly, apparently functioning normally again. "We can poof our instruments and equipment into the gym."

"I can take decorations if you handle clothes," Willie offered to Macky. "I know a place."

"You better not be the one decorating," Macky said, an eyebrow arching up skeptically. "Take Eli and Griffin with you. They have that artsy eye."

Willie snorted, not offended at all because he really didn't have a creative streak. He could pull together simple tables with flowers or candles whenever he had dinner dates with Alex, but that was about it. If he wanted Alex to have the best prom experience possible, he should lead the decorating to the professionals. 

"And I'll start finding out where we can get a dozen different formal outfits," Macky continued, their eyes sparkling with excitement. 

Willie grinned. "You're the best! We'll meet back here tomorrow. This prom is gonna be epic!"

~☆~☆~☆~

Eli and Griffin did have a flare for decorating. Twinkle lights were strung all across a navy blue awning they had stretched over the dance floor area while navy and gold balloons swayed from their positions around the dance floor and up on the stage.

The gym wouldn't be packed, so they kept the decorations in the area closest to the stage.

And what was more is everyone attending was dead, so food and drinks weren't necessary. 

"This looks awesome!" Luke said happily as he and Reggie stood by Willie and watched Macky's group finish setting up.

Their equipment had been poofed in easily enough and sat waiting for them on stage for when they would perform live about halfway through the night. 

"Ya know what sucks," Macky said as she suddenly poofed next to the boys, her eyes roaming over the decorations now sparkling under the twinkle lights. "It would've been so cute to have one of those backgrounds for photos but-"

"Everyone would get photos of orbs," Luke finished for her with a grimace. "That does suck."

Willie sighed. "I wish we could find a way to keep this memory for Alex."

"Just make the night unforgettable," Luke encouraged him. "Dance until you drop and that other romantic stuff."

Macky wrinkled her nose. "Yeah if you two decide to make out, go backstage or something and spare the rest of us."

"We're not gonna make out!" Willie grumped, feeling as if he was blushing. Did ghosts blush? Well, if they could, he was. He and Alex hadn't even _kissed_ yet.

Reggie and Luke snickered as they walked around the stage to check on their instruments. They would need to move Alex's drums later when they told him to avoid suspicion. 

Speaking of suspicion…

"So, how are we staying hidden from lifers?" Luke asked Macky and Willie.

Macky smiled in a way that made Willie inwardly thankful they were friends and not enemies. "The cameras pointing at the gym have been… temporarily put out of service." She bounced in her heels. "The custodian went home already, so as long as we poof directly into the gym with any remaining equipment, we're golden."

"You thought this out," Reggie said, looking mildly impressed. 

Macky winked at him. "This isn't my first time sneaking a party into a lifer building. But this is especially great because we'll be giving everyone here a chance to experience prom." They scrunched their eyebrows. 

"What is it?" Willie asked nervously. "Is something out of place? Should we get more balloons?" He wanted every little detail to be perfect for Alex's first ever dance. If something was out of place, he would poof over and help immediately.

Macky lost her frown and snickered. "No! Everything looks great. It's just… most of these kids never got to go to their dances when they were alive either because of something going on in their lives, they were too young, or they felt like outcasts because of their identities." 

Willie nodded sadly. "Alex is in that boat." He smirked. "I snuck my date to the dance when I went. My school didn't care, but my parents wouldn't have been cool with it."

Reggie frowned before he chimed in. "I went to one dance but…" he tapped the toe of his shoe down, looking uncomfortable. "Nobody danced with me. The girls kinda… thought I was a nerd."

Luke rubbed his back in a comforting way.

Macky scoffed. "Please! Nerds are cute." They grinned and rubbed her nose, drawing attention to their silver nose ring. She tilted her head. "If you don't mind, Reggie, I'll dance with you."

Reggie's eyes widened and he started to stammer. "I… I mean… you don't have to-"

Luke kicked the back of his calf lightly, and Reggie spat out, "Sure! Okay!"

Macky smiled more gently. "Cool! I gotta get my outfit ready. Here." She hurried over to a wrack of different outfits covered carefully in bags. "You guys can choose from these. Alex can help himself, too." They turned to Willie who suddenly felt very nervous. "I mean you have to _ask_ Alex first."

Willie gulped. "Yeah. I'll go do that…" 

"Good luck." Luke grinned and so did Reggie. Macky saluted him, and Willie poofed to the garage where the band practiced. 

~☆~☆~☆~

If ghosts had stomachs, Willie would be painting Julie's driveway with the contents of his. He paced around and around in dizzying circles before stopping and just taking a calming breath. It didn't help very much.

He had asked his date before when he was alive to prom, but Alex… was _Alex_. The love of his afterlife. From the moment they made eye contact, he knew he was falling in love. How was he supposed to keep his cool and properly ask Alex to be his date to the ghost prom if he was panicking like this!?

"Willie?"

Ah, crap.

Willie spun on his heel and gave his drummer boyfriend a nervous smile. "Hey… um… whatcha up to?" he asked, feeling like he wanted to poof away and hide.

Alex blinked and crossed his arms. "Dude, you okay? You're acting… weird."

"Uh, yeah, so…" he put his hands together and summoned what little courage he had. He shouldn't be afraid. Alex would never laugh at him or judge him. He had this.

"The reason I'm here is…" he walked forward and took Alex's hands in his. He knew he did the right thing because his boyfriend immediately responded with a reassuring squeeze.

He shook his hair out of his face and looked up into Alex's gorgeous blue eyes. The soft look in them gave him the courage to speak.

"Alex Mercer, will you go to prom with me?"

~☆~☆~☆~

"Can ghosts pass out?" Alex asked, his voice cracking as Julie smoothed his jacket out. "Cause I think I might just drop right here."

"Would you hit the floor or pass through it?" Julie wondered aloud as she sat on her bed and resumed making the corsages she had started on using fake flowers and ribbons. 

Alex blinked as if he hadn't thought of that and shook his head before joining her. "These are so cute!" he exclaimed as he picked up a red corsage with black and white ribbon. "Is this Reggie's?"

Julie nodded and smiled as she showed him a blue and turquoise one for Luke. His and Willie's were black, pastel pink, and white. Willie's center flower was pink while his was black: inversions of each other. They were adorable.

"Thanks for doing this for us," Alex told her as she pinned his corsage to his jacket. "Seriously."

"I'm a little sad I can't go, but I'm a lifer who needs her sleep." Julie giggled then handed him the flowers to give to his date.

His date. Never in all his life would Alex have believed he would be taking an actual date to prom! He wasn't sure if he wanted to dance or pass out like he mentioned before. 

Alex smiled nervously, and Julie gave him her own bright grin. "You've got this!" she said as she hugged him. It was still a weird concept the phantoms were getting used to, touching a living person, but he wasn't going to complain; Julie gave great hugs. "Go have fun and enjoy yourself."

"I will. Thanks, Julie." He snuggled closer as she rubbed his back then slowly broke away.

Just then, Reggie and Luke poofed into the room dressed in suits that vaguely called back to their outfits they wore during their performance at the Orpheum. 

Reggie wore a black short-sleeved shirt and red vest with black pants. His dress shoes looked cleaned up, but his hair was giving him trouble. He kept pushing it out of his eyes and fidgeting. 

Luke, who was in a dark blue vest and an undershirt with no sleeves (Alex was convinced he was allergic to them at this point), turned to the bassist and grabbed his hands. "Stop messing with it! If you keep this up, it's going to end up in your eyes the whole night!"

Reggie pouted as he forced his hands into his pockets. 

Luke had his black pants on this time with his favorite Vans. He let go of Reggie and grinned broadly when he saw the corsages. "These are sick!" He picked up the red one and smirked. "Come here, Reg. I guess we're each other's dates."

Alex hid his smile behind his hand. Reggie had a similar look on his face as when Luke had sung to him right before their "Edge of Great" performance. He looked like a deer in the headlights as Luke attached the red and black flowers to his vest.

Julie smiled and shook her head before handing the blue corsage to Reggie. 

Reggie fumbled and nearly dropped Luke's before clearing his throat and pinning it to his friend's chest.

"You three look so great!" Julie exclaimed as she smoothed wrinkles in their tops and adjusted their corsages. 

She was like a fussy sister who was making sure they looked as presentable as possible. Julie had been a lovely break in their chaotic boy band energy, but she could also get protective and a little picky about their clothes.

"Reggie, stop with the hair!" she suddenly snapped, grabbing his hands.

The bassist smiled apologetically. 

"I wish I could take a picture!" Julie groaned as she stepped back and smiled at the three of them. "I sound like my mom, but you guys look so good!"

"Thanks." Luke pushed his hair back, vaguely resembling the style from their Orpheum performance. "The corsages look awesome, Julie."

Julie hugged him and then Reggie. "You guys be safe and… don't get caught," she added with a soft giggle. "If I see glitter on the gym floor tomorrow during my dance class…"

"Blame the decorative team," Luke chuckled. "But it looks awesome. I can't wait for Alex to see it."

Julie gave them all one last once over and a hug then smiled as they poofed away.

~☆~☆~☆~

After pinning on Willie's corsage with shaking fingers, Alex walked into the gymnasium arm and arm with his date.

"Whoa!" he gasped, taking in the lights and the balloons and the glitter. Lots of glitter but not too much. Somehow.

"How in the world did you pull this off?" Alex turned to his smiling prom date.

Willie winked. "I have some friends in high places."

"Someone mention _moi?_ " 

Macky came striding over, wearing a dress that was mostly black lace in the bodice except for the front with a skirt that revealed a sparkling galaxy underneath. Her hair was curled at the ends, and her make up was dark - ending in sharp points.

Alex smiled. "Hey, Mack." He hugged them which they took in stride then stepped back. "I should've known you were behind sneaking this all in."

Macky waved her hand dismissively. "It was your beau's idea. He wanted you to have a real prom experience." She smiled at someone behind them, and Alex saw Luke and Reggie walk in together. The pair took in the decorations with a look of wonder as well.

"Anyway, go have fun." Macky jerked their head at the dance floor. "My group's gonna keep watch and make sure the music is not putting people to sleep."

Willie grinned at Alex who felt as if most of his anxiety was evaporating all of a sudden. "Shall we?" he said, bowing like a knight before his king.

He had his hair up in a bun and was wearing a black shirt with a pink tie that perfectly matched Alex's vest. Alex knew he was avoiding wearing anything closely resembling his attire at the Hollywood Ghost Club.

Chuckling at his dorky date, Alex took Willie's hand and followed him onto the dance floor. This was their night after all. They needed to enjoy it to the fullest.

~☆~☆~☆~

"Don't be so nervous," Luke murmured to Reggie as they walked onto the dance floor. Macky's group was jamming out to a playlist being watched over by the energetic DJ on the stage.

Reggie brushed strands of dark hair out of his eyes and swallowed. "I told you, man. Dances and me just don't mix."

Luke sighed and clapped his shoulder. "Reg, go find Macky. They promised you a dance, didn't they?"

"Yeah, but…" Reggie didn't know how to tell Luke that, though he found Macky pretty, it wasn't _she_ he wanted to dance with. In fact, he so desperately wanted to ask his best friend…

Luke rolled his eyes and spun him around. Reggie yelped a little from the sudden movement and tensed as Luke squeezed his shoulders.

Macky was shaking their head as she approached, looking fierce in her dark attire. But her smile was warm as she offered her arm to Reggie. "Shall we?"

He slowly took her arm, but he couldn't help but notice the absence of warmth on his shoulders as Luke released him.

~☆~☆~☆~

"Did I ever tell you how much I dig tall guys?" Willie's grin was mischievous as he and Alex danced fairly close to the rest of the ghosts enjoying their night to just be teenagers.

Alex chuckled nervously as he summoned his inner dancer to move fluidly and not feel self-conscious about his movements. Willie on the other hand was an amazing dancer, his legs carrying him as if he weighed nothing. 

He was a little envious, but his mind was more focused on what was to come after he and the rest of the band performed: the slow dances. 

They had been shy about kissing or really touching more than holding hands and occasional hugs. Alex wanted to go slow, and Willie being the angel that he was, respected his wishes.

But now… Alex was ready to take that next step. He had been half tempted to kiss Willie after giving him the corsage Julie made with such attention and care. Then he'd chickened out. The moment hadn't felt right.

Willie distracted him by doing a backflip and laughing at his stunned expression. Alex chuckled and took his hands, starting a goofy twisting move that was like a clumsier Charleston.

Forgetting about his anxious flutters, Alex shut down his fears and enjoyed dancing with his boyfriend. 

~☆~☆~☆~

Reggie giggled as Macky spun him around and dipped him. She was fun. She laughed and danced in different styles, and was just overall easy company. 

He knew he wasn't much of a dancer, but he was going to goof around and cut loose.

Reggie felt like he turned red when Macky grabbed his hands and pulled him in for a brief tango. They laughed when he stumbled, but held on tight to keep him from falling. 

"So," Macky said as they slowed down to just sway in place. "You keep looking over at a certain someone." 

Reggie's cheeks felt warm. "I don't know wh-what you-"

She chuckled when he stammered. "Sugar, you're obvious, but luckily your object of affection is oblivious." They turned their head and smirked. "Very oblivious."

Reggie glanced over and saw Luke dancing with a couple of girls, but his eyes kept roaming over to Macky and him.

Luke caught his eye and grinned before jumping back into his goofy but also attractive moves. Luke could move his hips really well when he wanted…

"You have drool on your chin," Macky murmured. 

Reggie felt at his face frantically before catching her snickering, and he smiled reluctantly. 

"Just ask him," Macky encouraged as he snapped back to reality. 

"What?" Reggie repeated blankly.

Macky sighed and brushed hair out of their eyes. "Ask Luke to dance." She wiggled her eyebrows. "We're closing with slow dances after you guys perform so…" 

"I've never slow danced," he blurted before he could stop himself. "What if I mess up? What if he gets freaked out and I ruin our friendship?"

Tears stung Reggie's eyes as he unloaded all his fears on someone he barely knew. Luckily, the lights were low right now, so nobody seemed to notice. 

Macky glanced around as if looking for help, but Alex was entranced by his date, and maybe asking Luke to come over wouldn't be a smart idea.

Deciding to just pull Reggie into the shadows to keep the staring minimal, they led him just off the side by the bleachers. Her voice and expression softened. "Reggie, take a breath, okay?"

He swallowed and rubbed under his eyes as he centered his breathing. He took calming breaths just like Alex taught him.

Macky kept watch so nobody interrupted. He appreciated her not fussing over him. He kinda wished she would but also liked her letting him stand in his own two feet.

Once he was calmer, Macky turned back to him and startled him by putting their arms around his waist instead of his neck. "Alright. Follow my lead."

~☆~☆~☆~

Luke shredded the cords on his guitar and jumped around, the energy in the gym palpable as he played his heart out. He was so excited to perform with the guys again just like when they were Sunset Curve.

True, it wasn't like performing with Julie, but there was a nostalgic feeling when they played together with just the three of them. 

They went to their favorite single from their first demo: "Now or Never" which had the teens rushing to the stage and screaming to cheer them on.

It was a rush.

Reggie jumped around with his usual energy, grinning as he added his notes to the song.

Alex was smiling, too, as he hit the drums and cymbals. His eyes were locked on one person in the crowd: his shouting and fist-pumping boyfriend. 

They were night and day and yet they were great for each other. Luke had noticed how much happier and more relaxed Alex had seemed lately. Willie was good for him.

Reggie… he didn't know what to do about Reggie. Luke had noticed some feelings stirring in his heart a while ago when they were alive and only Sunset Curve. However, those feelings had blossomed and strengthened since they came back as ghosts.

Speaking of-

Luke's heart jolted as Reggie bounced over to share his microphone. They sang together for a few bars then Luke playfully shoved him back. He didn't want to, but if he hadn't… he might have gotten lost in his eyes and forgotten how to play guitar.

Which probably should've made him anxious but didn't. 

They wrapped up their high energy song then switched to a more crooning one, "In Your Starlight".

It was a soft song that had been written to appeal to the romantic side of their fans.

Luke remembered the bright eyes and the grins of the girls in the front row when he sang to them at gigs. He and Reggie had played their flirty sides well while Alex rolled his eyes in the background.

Now Luke's eyes were trialing to soft green ones as Reggie's vocals joined his. Their gazes met for a brief moment before Luke averted his eyes to the crowd. He felt like his chest was going to explode with nerves.

~☆~☆~☆~

After their performance ended and the DJ took the stage again, the boys came down to meet Willie and Macky. Willie whooped and hugged Alex tightly. 

"Dude, you guys were incredible!" Willie clapped Alex on the shoulder then linked his arm through his. "I think you rocked the most. No bias or anything."

Reggie grinned as Luke rolled his eyes playfully. "Yeah, no bias _at all_ ," he said sarcastically. 

Macky smiled brightly at them. "That was really awesome! I'm gonna have to come to one of your guys' gigs one of these days." 

"I wouldn't," Willie murmured softly to Alex. "She would start a mosh pit."

"I heard that!"

The group laughed together, feeling more like teenagers than they had in awhile. With all that had gone down from the time the phantoms first visited the Hollywood Ghost Club to their Orpheum performance, they hadn't had a lot of time to just hang out and be themselves. 

Luke put his arms around Reggie and Alex, pulling them in and laughing as Willie pretended to swoon over Alex's drumming skills.

The laughter faded when a slow song started playing.

Alex swallowed and released his bandmates to walk over to Willie.

His heart did a few heavy thunks against his ribs when Willie grinned. He loved that smile and everything it represented: from Willie's carefree attitude to the love they shared for one another. 

They walked together onto the dancefloor and Willie linked his arms around Alex's neck as the drummer slid his hands onto his boyfriend's waist.

Smiling shyly at one another, they turned on the spot awkwardly at first, holding onto each other and drawing comfort from the other's touch.

Slowly, the stiffness in their movements melted into more natural ones as they listened to the song and gazed into one another's eyes.

"This has been the best prom ever," Alex murmured suddenly. He had been nervous about speaking and voicing an opinion since he didn't have a dance to compare this one to. 

But being with Willie, performing with his bandmates, and seeing just how happy the other ghosts were, made the night all the more magical for him. He wasn't the only one getting his first prom experience, and it warmed his heart that Willie had done this for him.

"I'm glad you liked it," Willie said with a sparkle in his eyes that told Alex he was pleased. "It was last minute, but I think we managed okay. "

"Well, ghosts can sneak around," Alex said with a chuckle. "And we don't eat so not having food made things easier."

Willie laughed and stood up to kiss Alex on the cheek. "This has been an amazing night," he murmured shyly.

Alex smiled and brushed a loose strand of dark hair hovering in front of Willie's eyes. It was adorable but also currently in the way.

Because in the next moment, Alex was leaning in with his hands very gently cupping Willie's jaw.

Willie moved up on his toes to meet Alex's soft lips. 

Alex felt as if a jolt had gone through him, but not the painful one like when Caleb cursed them; it was like he was skydiving: hurtling towards earth and unsure how he was going to catch himself, but he was enjoying the plunge. 

Willie responded, and he felt as if he was in more control and soaring high away from his problems and anxieties. 

Their kiss was sweet and comforting but brief.

They broke apart, their foreheads resting against each other and matching grins on their faces.

"You're a pretty good kisser, Hot Dog," Willie teased softly.

Alex chuckled and pulled him in for another kiss, feeling as if he was radiating the warm light that he and his bandmates had the night Julie called them her family. And that she loved them.

~☆~☆~☆~

After a very forceful but supportive shove from Macky, Reggie was now dancing with Luke.

He felt like he was going to burst into flames from how hot his face felt. And he was pretty sure his heart would've exploded by now if he had an actual body.

Luke was smiling as he guided Reggie across their little corner of the dancefloor. He seemed more at ease than Reggie did, so the bassist struggled to appear more composed as they swayed to the soft music.

The brief slow dance lesson with Macky had helped him calm down the tiniest bit. She had just said to move slowly and keep a hold of Luke because it was more about getting close to your partner than any real dancing.

Honestly, it was nice just slowly turning and sliding around with Luke and not having to think about much else. They fit together pretty well, actually.

They were about the same height, so they were nose-to-nose when they locked eyes.

"Reg?"

Reggie gulped and blinked a little in an attempt to clear his foggy vision. Could ghosts get lightheaded? He felt like he was.

"Y-Yeah?" he asked, his voice cracking in an embarrassing way. He was dead, but he had gone through puberty already. Jeez.

"Relax." Luke's fingers dug a little into his sides which made his brain short circuit briefly. "You're wound up tighter than Alex."

Reggie gulped. "S-Sorry. I'm just…"

"Are you nervous?"

He squeaked out a "yes", and Luke's expression lost some of its teasing and gentled. "Don't be. It's just me."

Yeah, his best friend in the whole world.

And also his secret crush but hey…

Maybe it was time to fess up seeing as he knew now the energy between Luke and Julie was strictly platonic.

"Um, so…" Reggie cleared his throat as Luke pulled him in a little more. How was he supposed to form coherent words if his dance partner kept doing that?

"I just… I needed to tell you that…" Reggie absently fidgeted behind Luke's neck, and the other boy leaned his head back a little as if enjoying the touch.

"I like you," Reggie blurted before he could lose his nerve. He was getting lost in Luke's sparkling eyes.

Luke stopped for a second, and their gazes snapped onto one another like magnets drawn to one another.

"You… _like me_ like me?" he checked, his eyebrows scrunched inward thoughtfully. 

He was so cute. That look was not helping Reggie process and form words.

"Yeah…" Reggie whispered so only Luke could hear.

The smile Luke gave him was like the sun bursting from behind a cloud. A truly happy and carefree laugh erupted from him as he pulled Reggie in and picked him up, spinning him around once before dropping him back down on his feet.

Dizzy and grinning in a daze, Reggie stammered, "Wh-What was that?"

"I'm just so happy the feelings weren't one-sided!" Luke chuckled. "I thought I was losing my mind, but I was so scared to talk about it - especially after you and Alex teased me about Julie-"

Reggie grimaced and felt warm around his ears and neck. His attraction to Luke spiked after _that_ memorable encounter. 

Luke snickered and rubbed Reggie’s back as they turned on the spot to another romantic song that neither was really hearing.

Now that their feelings were out in the open, the only thing they could focus on was each other.

~☆~☆~☆~

After the dance had ended and Macky led a mass cleanup, Alex and Willie poofed out to the deserted beaches. 

They walked hand in hand, the salty breeze ruffling their hair and dressy clothes. Their corsages stood out against their shirts as a matching set just as Julie had intended. 

The flowers may be artificial, but the grin that appeared on Willie's face every time he saw them was far from it.

He had gone to prom with his boyfriend! They had danced, socialized, and held hands just like any other couple there.

"Did you have fun?" Willie asked, unable to stand it any longer. Alex had been mostly quiet since they left, and he hoped it was because he was tired from dancing and not because he was trying to be nice when he told Willie he hadn't enjoyed his experience at all. True, Alex had already said the prom was cool, but a small part of Willie was a little doubtful.

Alex contemplated his words for a minute then stopped to look out at the reflective water. The moon casted a magnificent light across the rippling surface towards them, making his blonde hair look white and his eyes…

Willie felt his throat tighten. Alex was handsome, but the moonlight made him look otherworldly - like an angel radiating peace and comfort. 

He knew Alex would never believe him, but his shy and nervous behaviors calmed Willie and helped him focus on centering him. His nervous energy balanced Willie's easy going personality. 

"I had a blast, actually," Alex said with a smile that turned into a light laugh when Willie raised his eyebrows. "I did! I was nervous about going with you and dancing, but once I was there and saw everyone having a good time and not - ya know - judging us… I relaxed."

Willie smiled and kissed his cheek impulsively which had Alex standing stalk still like he had been struck dumb. 

Chuckling teasingly, Willie nudged his boyfriend and snatched his corsage. 

Alex gaped at him in shock and made to grab for it, but Willie dodged and grinned. "Catch me if you can!" He poofed and then reappeared several yards down the shoreline. "Come on, Hot Dog!"

Rolling his eyes, Alex chased after him, and the two enjoyed a playful game of keep away as they poofed and ran across the sandy beach. Alex was always just a half step behind his silly boyfriend. 

After several failed attempts to get his corsage back, Alex stopped in his tracks and waited for Willie to become too cocky. 

He didn't have to wait long.

Willie tripped and poofed right smack into Alex's chest. After experiencing a split second of deja vu, Alex flopped back on the sand. He laughed as Willie hovered over him, sand dusted into his now loose hair that had come down during their antics. 

Stars sparkled in Alex's eyes as he looked up, breathing hard and smiling softly into Willie's. 

Willie shook his head then chuckled and leaned down, kissing his prom date and brushing his blonde hair off of his forehead.

Alex kissed him back and tilted his head, gently pulling him closer by his shirt.

After they broke apart, Willie snickered and put the corsage back on his breathless boyfriend. 

"I love you," Alex blurted.

Willie's gaze snapped back to his and he felt warmth spread through him at those words.

"I love you, too," Willie murmured. They kissed one more time before Willie rolled off to lay on his back next to him. He reached over to hold Alex's hand. They entwined their fingers then smiled with lovesick expressions mirrored back at one another. 

"Thanks for taking me to prom," Alex murmured lazily. "That was the coolest dance ever."

"Maybe we can get more friends to come next time," Willie said brightly. "I'm sure there's more ghosts out there who didn't get to have a fun dance experience."

Alex smiled, his eyes full of stars and affection as he squeezed his boyfriend's fingers. "You'd do this again?" he asked.

Willie grinned and squeezed back. "I'd do anything for you… Hot Dog."

He groaned. "You had to ruin it with that nickname."

Willie threw back his head and laughed. 

They laid there side by side for a while, laughing and gazing up at the stars. Even when the sun came up hours later, their hands were still intertwined.

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't help but throw in some Peterpatter fluff because I love those two himbos so freaking much. Hope y'all enjoyed! ♥


End file.
